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GENERAL ENGLISH · BREAKING NEWS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

PANDA TO
GO ON A
DIET
QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
19X4-V74B-761V

1 Warm up
In pairs, match the word to the correct picture:

bamboo biscuits corn dough gelatine soybeans

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

Answer the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. What do you know about pandas?

2. What kind of food do you think pandas usually eat?
3. Have you ever tried any of the food in the images above?
4. Why do people usually go on diets?

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PANDA TO GO ON A DIET

2 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match the following vocabulary to the definitions.

1. increased (v) a. go up in number or value

2. keepers (n) b. cooked with steam from boiling water

3. protein (n) c. use up energy, calories or fat

4. steamed (adj.) d. a substance that helps animals/ humans grow and stay
healthy
5. burn (verb) e. succeed in something

6. achieve (verb) f. people who have the job of looking after

something/somebody

Part B: Put the vocabulary from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences. You may need
to change the form of the word.

1. It is healthier to fish instead of frying it.

2. The penguin were worried that the cages were too small for the birds.

3. Last year, I my dream of going to Oxford University.

4. Sally started running because she wanted to more calories.

5. The number of people studying English every year.

6. Most types of meat and fish have a lot of .

Now with your partner, discuss the following questions.

• What kind of food can you steam? Do you like steamed food?
• What type of exercise is the best for burning fat?
• What would you like to achieve in the next year?
• Have you heard of a high protein diet? Would you like to try it?

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PANDA TO GO ON A DIET

3 Listening for gist

Listen to the news report about the pandas at Taipei Zoo and answer the following questions.

1. What is the main problem that the pandas are facing?

2. What are the two solutions?

4 Listening for comprehension

Now, listen to the news report again and try and put the events in the correct order. Put the correct
number in the box.

a. The zoo will help the pandas burn fat

b. The pandas will eat steamed bread, corn and soybeans

c. The pandas spend too much time sitting down

d. The zoo came up with two solutions

e. The pandas will do more exercise

f. The pandas will eat a healthier diet

g. The pandas put on some weight 1

Now in pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Do you think it will be easy for the pandas to lose weight? Why/ Why not?
2. How much food do you think pandas usually eat?
3. Have you ever been on a diet? What happened?

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PANDA TO GO ON A DIET

5 Find the word (optional)

Read part of the script from the news report below and find a word/ phrase that has a similar meaning.

(A) The problem for the pandas in the zoo is they often spend too much time sitting down and
not a lot of time moving around. In the wild, however, they are free and can be more active.
Therefore, to help with this issue the zoo came up with two solutions.

(B) Firstly, the sisters will be eating a healthier diet. The diet will focus on protein and will
contain less salt, sugar and fat. They will eat things like steamed bread, corn and soybeans.

(C) Secondly, the zoo will try to help the pandas burn some fat. The keepers have created
several games that they think will help the two sisters be more active and do more exercise.

1. unrestricted (para. A)

2. answers (para. A)

3. concentrate (para. B)

4. include (para. B)

5. made (para. C)

6. lively (para. C)

6 Watching for gist

Watch the video about the food pandas eat at San Diego Zoo and answer the questions below:

1. In the video, what type of food are they making for the pandas?

2. Why does the panda need to eat this type of food?

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PANDA TO GO ON A DIET

7 Watch/listen for comprehension

Read the following statements and decide if they are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG).

1. Gao Gao is young and his teeth are becoming worn down.
2. The bag of bamboo leaves is more than 8kg.
3. Gao Gao is eating the same bread as another panda at the zoo.
4. They have to grind the bamboo leaves and fill up a bag.
5. They have to cook the bamboo bread for 15 minutes.
6. Gao Gao likes every type of food.
7. The bread is so popular that the keepers have started sending it to other zoos in the area.
Glossary
wear off: become gradually smaller or damaged
picky: liking only some things

8 Talking point
In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Would you like to be one of the keepers preparing Gao Gao’s food every day? Why/ why not?
2. Have you ever prepared any special food? What was it, and who was it for?
3. The keeper describes Gao Gao as "picky". Are you a "picky" eater or can you eat almost anything?

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PANDA TO GO ON A DIET

9 Extra activity (optional task)

Read the following task.

San Diego Zoo has over 12,000 animals and you are going to do some research on the eating
habits of the animals below:
• penguins
• koalas
• hippos
• polar bears
• giraffes

Use the Internet to find out about the different diets of each animal. Once you have
finished your research you will present it to the class.

You should:
• make notes before your presentation;
• practice your presentation to make sure your pronunciation is clear and easy to understand.

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